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Turners Falls Post Plans Alien, Propaganda Check

TURNERS FALLS- Clarence W. Allen post, 178. American Legion, moved a step forward in the organization of its Home Defense service Wednesday night when the committee appointed June 3 named other committees for the separate divisions of the service.

Commander Francis Aubrey was appointed general chairman, with the following officers: Israel Burnaw, vice-chairman; Edward F. Treml, financial secretary; and Thomas W. Bean, coresponding secretary. The general committee inclues Francis Ahern, Neale Allis, Francis Aubrey, Thomas W. Bean, Israel Burnaw, Adelard Corbiere, George Martin, James Morrison, Wayne Pleasant, Dana Salmon, William Schneider, Richard Stoughton, Clarence Sweetzer, Edward F. Treml.

This organization would offer its services to the town, state, or nation in times of any emergency and will be permanent for the duration of the emergency.

The Millers Falls post, American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars will be invited to delegate a committee of three to act with this organization.

The committees will report to the Legion post on July 1 when George Martin will speak on Americanism.

The following committees were appointed:

Community service, Arthur E. Burke, chairman, duties, to communicate with all local organizations and selectmen, police, fire chief, and school authorities, asking for cooperation.

Property protection unit, Neal Allis and Adelard Corbiere, cochairmen, to furnish guards for industries, homes, and property.

First aid and ambulance unit, chairman unappointed, to ask aid of doctors and hospitals to train members for first aid in any emergency.

Fire arms survey unit, Wayne Pleasant, chairman, to survey town in cooperation with police, listing all available rifles, shot guns, revolvers, including model type, calibre and amount of ammunition.

Communications unit, Paul Shumway and Ralph Damon, co-chairmen, to contact radio station WHAI, amateur station WIAJ at Turners Falls, New England Telephone & Telegraph company asking cooperation, also enlisting aid of local newspaper units.

Publicity unit, William Schneider, chairman, to acquaint the public with defense measures.

Military unit, George Martin and Dana Salmon, co-chairmen, to seek military training under competent officers, for sub-machine gun operation, anti-aircraft gun operation, camouflaging, evacuation of women and children.

Motorized transportation unit, Clarence Sweetezer, chairman, to furnish transportation in case of emergency and list all available cars.

Emergency supply unit, Richard Stoughton, chairman, to enlist the services of all business men, so that with a minimum amount of effort, food, fuel, medical supplies and clothing can be supplied.

Propaganda unit, Francis Ahearn, chairman, to check all information distributed in public libraries, check up on all aliens, and all un-American activities.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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Well before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entry into World War II, American Citizens were being asked by the Federal Government to make preparations to defend the home front. In Turners Falls and other Western Massachusetts towns the American Legion, a veterans organization, volunteered to form a home defense committee. Committees such as the First Aid and Ambulance Unit, the Emergency Supply Unit and the Fire Arms Survey Unit would aid the community in the event of an emergency or prepare it for attack. Among the committees formed was a Propaganda Unit to "check all information distributed in public libraries, check up on all aliens and all un-American activities." The United States Congress passed the Alien Registration Act of 1940 which was meant to protect the country from internal attack.

 

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"Turners Falls Post Plans Alien, Propaganda Check" article from Greenfield Recorder-Gazette newspaper

publisher   Greenfield Recorder-Gazette
date   Jun 14, 1940
location   Greenfield, Massachusetts
height   10.25"
width   1.75"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L06.062


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See Also...

"Senate Judiciary Approves Alien Restrictions" article from Greenfield Recorder-Gazette newspaper

Leaders in Congress to Shut off all Immigration article in The Gazette and Courier newspaper

"High Court Bars Alien Deportation" article in Greenfield Recorder-Gazette newspaper


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